How To Store Radishes – The Complete Storage Guide

Radishes have so many benefits and they are probably one of the crunchiest vegetables we can eat. But sometimes it is difficult to keep them fresh and crispy for a few days. 

So, how do you store radishes? There are a few ways to store radishes. You can keep them at room temperature or in a bowl of water, but the easiest and most effective way is to store radishes in the fridge (for up to 2 weeks). You can also keep them in dirt (for up to 3 months) or freeze them (6 months).

Read on for detailed instructions on how to freeze radishes and much more. 

How Long Do Radishes Last? 

The shelf-life of radishes depends on the storage method. 

If you keep radishes at room temperature, they won’t last too long. Radishes will stay good for around 3 days if you decide to store them in the pantry. 

Radishes will keep much longer in the fridge – for around 2 weeks if you store them right. 

Properly pickled and canned radishes will last up to 6 months in the fridge. However, if you like your pickled veggies crunchy, eat them as soon as you can once they have set long enough in the pickling liquid.

The longer you keep pickled radishes, the less crunchy they will become. 

Do you Refrigerate Radishes?

You do need to refrigerate radishes, assuming you are not planning to use them within 2 to 3 days after buying them, of course.

While they generally keep for around 2 weeks in the fridge, they may still be good to eat after that. Storing radishes in the crisper drawer may help extend their shelf-life for a few days. This, however, also depends on how you store the radishes. 

In any case, keep in mind that the longer you keep them in the fridge the less crispy and juicy radishes will become. 

How to Store Radishes

There are many ways you can store radishes. Depending on how long you need the vegetables to keep, you can choose a method that works for you. 

Storing in the Kitchen at Room Temperature 

If you are going to use radishes within 2 to 3 days, you can store them in your kitchen without putting in any effort. However, if you want to preserve these crispy veggies for longer, there is still a way of storing them in your kitchen at room temperature. 

To store radishes at room temperature, try this storage method in a bowl of water:

1. Put unwashed radishes in a large bowl. Make sure it is sturdy enough to hold the radishes. 
2. Fill the bowl with water so that it covers the bulbs. Make sure the water is cold and the leaves are not touching it. 
3. Change the water every day and closely inspect the radishes. As soon as you notice that the leaves are drying and the radishes are not looking as firm, take the radishes out and use them before they go bad. 

Radishes stored in water will keep for around 3 days when stored in a bowl of water at room temperature. 

Storing Radishes in the Fridge 

Radishes are best stored in the fridge. This way they stay crisp and firm for longer. There are a few ways you can freeze radishes in the fridge.  

Refrigerating Radishes in Water

You can easily transfer radishes stored in a bowl of water from the kitchen counter or pantry right into the fridge. This is a great move if you notice that your radishes are not doing well at room temperature. 

Moving them into the fridge will extend their life to around a week. 

Refrigerating Radishes in a Plastic Bag

You can refrigerate almost anything in plastic bags, and radishes are not an exception. Here is how you do it:

1. Cut the greens and the root ends off. You may or may not wash the radishes. If you decide to wash them, make sure to pat them dry to get rid of any excess moisture. 
2. Line the plastic bag with two layers of slightly moist paper towels. 
3. Place a few radishes into the bag and cover them with another layer of damp paper towel.
4. Repeat until the bag is full. 
5. Remove as much air as you can from the bag and put it in the fridge. 

With this method of storing radishes, it is important to cut the greens off as they take moisture from the bulb. 

Refrigerating Radishes in Jars With Water

Refrigerating radishes in jars filled with water is a great way of keeping them crisp for a little over a week. Here is how you do it. 

1. Prepare the radishes by washing them and cutting off the greens and the root ends. 
2. Put the radishes in a jar with a tight-sealing lid. 
3. Pour water into the jar so that it covers the radishes. 
4. Store them in the fridge and eat within 7 to 8 days. 

This is a good way of storing radishes in the fridge if you want to have clean radishes always at hand. 

Storing Radishes in Dirt 

If you have a cellar or basement and are not afraid to go there, then this method of storing radishes is for you. It does require some effort but the fact that you can keep radishes fresh for up to 3 months overweighs the extra work you should do. 

To store radishes in dirt, just follow these steps:

1. Find a box that you don’t use and fill it with dirt. The latter should be moist. 
2. Put the radishes in the soil so that only the greens stick out. 
3. Keep the box with radishes in the dirt in your basement or cellar, or somewhere where it’s cool and dark. 
4. Mark the box with the date and check it every few days. Dampen the soil whenever it feels dry to touch. 

Can You Freeze Radishes?

Radishes are at their best when fresh. They are a rich source of minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and calcium, as well as folate, vitamin K, and vitamin B-6. You get all of these vitamins and minerals when radishes are fresh. 

You can freeze radishes if you find that other methods of storing these root vegetables don’t preserve them long enough for you. 

Freezing is not the best way to store radishes but it certainly works and is a good way to extend the shelf-life of these vegetables if you are going to cook them rather than make a fresh salad. 

How Does Freezing Affect Radishes?

If you have decided to freeze radishes, you should do it right to preserve their taste and bring texture changes to the minimum. 

Poorly prepared radishes will suffer taste changes and you won’t be able to enjoy them properly after defrosting. Texture changes, on the other hand, are inevitable. Radishes have high water content. Thus, they may not be as crunchy as before freezing. 

You should take your time to prepare radishes for freezing and store them correctly. This way you will not only extend their shelf-life but also enjoy good-tasting radishes once you defrost them. 

How to Freeze Radishes

If you have just harvested lots of radishes and know you won’t be able to finish them within a few weeks even if you ate them every day, freezing is a good option. 

Here is how it’s best to prepare and freeze radishes:

1. Clean the radishes by brushing off any dirt. Radishes from the supermarket produce sections are cleaner than those right from the garden. 
2. Wash the radishes with cold water. Leave the water running to clean them quickly. 
3. Trim the stems and the root end. Get rid of any blemishes on the skin of the radishes. Don’t peel the radishes. The skin protects the inside of the radish when you freeze it. 
4. Cut the radishes in half if they are smaller. If bigger, you can divide them into four parts. If you freeze whole radishes the skin will crack in the freezer. 
5. Blanch the radishes. Leave them in boiling water for around 3 minutes. This step is crucial in slowing down the ripening process of these root vegetables. Blanching will also preserve the bright color of radishes. 
6. Keep a bowl of ice water at hand. Once you have boiled the radishes for a few minutes, transfer them into the cold water to stop the cooking process. 
7. Drain the radishes and let them dry a little bit. 
8. Divide into portions and put radishes into sealable plastic bags removing as much air as possible. 
9. Mark the freezer bags with the date. 

How to Defrost Frozen Radishes

Defrosting radishes is quick and easy. Simply take them out of the freezer and hold them under running water. Make sure the water is not too hot or warm. It will defrost just fine in cool to room temperature water!

How to Store Sliced Radishes

If you have sliced too many radishes but haven’t eaten them, you can refrigerate them for later use. 

Just note that sliced radishes lose their water content and crispiness much quicker than whole radishes do. Thus, it is always better to store them whole when you’re planning ahead.

In any case, if you have leftover sliced radishes, there are a few ways you can store them in the fridge. 

In an Airtight Container: Pat radish slices dry and put them in an airtight container. Make sure there is not much moisture left on the slices as it may lead to molding. Stored in an airtight container, sliced radishes will not keep as long as whole ones. 

In Damp Paper Towels: You can store radishes wrapped in a slightly wet paper towel. This way radish slices won’t dry out quickly. 

In Water: If you want to preserve the crispiness of your radish slices, it is best to store them in water. Fill a bowl with cold water and put the slices in it. Don’t cover the water with a tight lid as the radish will go bad quickly. 

Storing sliced radishes in icy cold water is a great way of making them crisper. In this case, however, you need to leave them in the fridge for only a few hours before serving. 

How to Store Pickled Radishes

Pickled radishes should be stored in the fridge. They should be refrigerated during the pickling process as well as after it. You should keep them in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight, sealable lid. 

How to Store Radish Greens

If you have ever thrown away the greens from a radish, now you never have to do it again! They are actually edible and can be very tasty if you know how to use them. 

Radish greens have a short shelf-life as once you cut the radishes off, they don’t get any nutrients. 

Here is how you store radish greens, step-by-step:

1. Cut the greens off from the radishes. 
2. Put them in a plastic bag without washing. 
3. Remove air from the plastic bag to better preserve the greens. 
4. Store radish greens in the crisper drawer of your fridge. 
5. Use within 3 days. 

You can make a fresh salad with radish greens or use them for your morning omelet. As radish greens are very delicate, they are perfect to make a pesto sauce. 

You can also freeze radish greens. When it comes to freezing, however, you should blanch them first to preserve the color and flavor.

Here is how to freeze radish greens:

1. Cut off radish greens and wash them. 
2. Blanch them in boiling water for less than 20 seconds. 
3. Drain the leaves and put them under running cold water. 
4. Let the leaves dry on a paper towel. 
5. Put the leaves on a baking sheet to first freeze them individually. 
6. Once the leaves are frozen, divide into portions and freeze in sealable plastic bags. 

How to Store White Radish

The best way to store a bigger white radish is by trimming the leaves and refrigerating it. It is also recommended to wrap it with paper before putting it in the fridge. 

Also known as Daikon radish, white radish can be stored in the fridge the same way as regular red radish. 

Store it in sealable bags after cutting the greens and they will keep well for up to 14 days. You can also freeze it the same way you would a red radish. 

How to Tell If Radishes Are Bad

Radishes are perishable and you should inspect them before eating whether they have been freshly harvested, refrigerated, or frozen and defrosted. 

Don’t eat radishes that are dried out and have lost all their moisture content. If radishes are dark, it may also be a sign that they are not good to eat. 

Spots on radishes and any other produce are okay as long as you remove them and the radish is good underneath. 

Here are a few signs that radishes have gone bad:

• Mushy texture. Radishes are firm and crispy. If your radishes are soft to touch and mushy, it means they have gone bad. Defrosted radishes may be slightly soft. This doesn’t indicate that they are spoiled. 
• Off-putting smell. Radishes don’t have a distinct smell. But if you think your radishes smell unpleasant, chances are good they have gone bad. 
• Mold. If there is any mold on radishes, throw them out.

Even if you are sure you have stored radishes in the right way, it is always good to inspect them before you eat them or spend time cooking them. 

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